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Pinky pradhan

About Me

Back in 2004, when I cleared the interview for the position of Communications Officer for the North Eastern Community Resource Management Project for Upland Areas based in Shillong, Meghalaya — one of the backward states in the Northeastern region of India, a joint venture between Govt. of India and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, I hardly knew how my life would change thereafter. After spending a year and witnessing the self reliance of more than 1,000 women who could barely read or write and had negligible awareness about their rights, and the transformation that the project had in the lives of more than 1,000 villages, there was no looking back for me. From a marketing communication professional, who was strategizing product launches, to celebrity endorsement and brand entrenchment, I began my journey as a development practitioner, using my skills to create awareness and persuade community members to change their behavior and mobilize them into actions.

In the last 8 years of my career, I have worked on cross cutting issues : anti human trafficking, HIV and AIDS, substance abuse , poverty alleviation and environment conservation, and the population which needs outmost attention are children and women . Be it the one whose husband is a alcoholic ; or the one sold off to be a sex slave at the age of 9 ; or the one whose is facing the worst, as the natural resources are depleting. It is heartening how they suffer.

The Offices that I have been working are Save the Children, UN Office on Drugs and Crime,WWF-India, IFAD project and Population Action International. I am also an Atlas Corps Fellow- a fellowship that provides a year long training in non-profit management. I have also been selected in the ' 2011 Top 99 under 33 leaders of foreign policy' and featured in Dimplomatic Courier magazine. Most recently, after chasing it for 6 years, finally co-founded an NGO that will work to provide support and services to the disadvantaged section of the society.

I am currently in Philadelphia, USA . advancing the cause of women and child rights;writing fiction;photography To get funding for We Care communication management, campaign planning and community mobilisation